Remote electric-control system for search-lights and the like.



A. LE BLANG.

REMOTE ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SEARCH LIGHTS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, 1909.

99,719 Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

a SEEMS-sum 1.

v WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

u A. LE BLANG. REMOTE ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SEARCH LIGHTS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 5, 1909. 99,71 9. Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS A. LB BLANG.

REMOTE ELECTRIC GONTROL SYSTEM FOR SEARGH LIGHTS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, 1909.

939,7 1 9, Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

a SHEETS-SHEET 3. Z I? mmlmhlllllllh QM WWQZM, [2%,- iwwm Arm/mus Control Systems for Search-Lights and the ALEXIS Ln mane, or new YORK, n. Y.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

ELECTRIC-CQNTROL SYSTEM FOR SEARCH-LIGHTS AND THE LIKE.

Patented Nov. a, teen.

Application filed. February 5, 1909. 7 Serial No. 476,212.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Amexrs Ln BLAno, a

citizenof the United States, residing at New York, mthe county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Remote Electric Like, oar-which thefollowing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description, such as V will enable-others skilled in the art to which .my invention relates to make, construct, and

use the same. r This invention relates to naval, military,

and the like, Searchlight projecto's, With electricmotor control, in which by the ma nlpulatlon of slmplenieans, the current is caused to operate two electric'inotors of a. searchhght, and when said means are released, the searchlightsare instantly brought to rest without shock and held in position. One of the motors usually operates a train of gears controlling thevertical movement,

and the other is connected with a train of gears controlling the horizontal beam. of light.

The invention has for its object, the production of an improved system for electrically controlling searchlights for use in the field, in land fortresses, for naval stations or coast defenses, or for battleships, and consists of simplified means for starting,.stqpping, reversing, regulating and controlling the direction and speed of said motors from a distance, by the use of'sensitive means designed to overcome the efiects of sparking and by the use of simple and sensitive accessories and-controlling means operated from the controlling end by an auxiliary current.

Heretofore, it has been customary to connect the controlling end of the system with the light or power end, regardless of the distance between the same, by means of heavy electrip cables of sufiicientweight and capacity to carry the necessary current for the motors, which were coiled upon reels and usually mounted upon transport wagons ready for use when desired. The controllers heretofore used, in many cases, were of such Weight and dimension, that it was also necessary to mount the same upon Wagons in order to haul them to the place of operation.

With my improved system, the heavy electric cables heretofore used for carrying the necessary current for the motors, are entirely dispensed with, and a Wire'of suficient caof such size and dimensions, as will ad mirably adapt itself [0 be mounted upon an ordinary field or marine glass or other portable support, and one which can easily be carried in the pocket of the operator.

In the accompanying drawings, which clearly illustrate my invention, Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic View of my improved system. Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 represent respectively, front, rear, side and top elevations of the switchboard carrying the reversing switch and, the solenoids. l ig. 6 represents a sectional View of the controller. Fig. '7 represents a plan View of thecontroller with the top removed, and Figs. 8 and 9 represent front and side views of one form of mounting the. controller upon a portable support such as a field glass.

Similar letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and draw- 1 ings.

in carrying out my invention, I employ suitable motors M and M preferably located in close proximity to the Searchlight,

in order to obtain horizontal and vertical movement of said light. Inasmuch as the various accessories used in connection with one motor are the same as those to be used in connection with the other motor,-the de scription of one applies to the other. R designates a. resistance in series with the motor of such value that the motor will not start when'the line circuit is closed through this resistance alone, but will allow the mo tor to continue to revolve by its own momentum and by means of the small current passing through the resistance R.

Suitably mounted on the front of a switchboard conveniently located near the Searchlight, is a reversing switch ES, to be hereinafter described, the function of which is to reverse the direction of the current passing through the armature of the motor 11, thereby reversing the direction of the same. 011 the back of the switchboard directly behind the reversing switch RS, are located the solenoids S and S provided with iron plungeis P and P which are drawn into the solenoids S and S when said solenoids are energized. Each plunger is provided with a trip pawl P.

The first upward movement of one of the 'plungers sets the arms of the reversing the frames B.

switch in the proper position to send a current through the motor M in the desired direction. if the plunger P drops back into 'its former position, the switch arm remains in its assumed position and the pawl 13 moves outward. A second upward moveinent of the same plunger by reason of its engagement with the pawl, carries a sliding rod 1 with it, which has attached to it, a connecting brush 6, which closes a bypass to the resistance lt, thereby diminishing the total resistance in the working circuit step by step, causing the motor M to start and to gradually increase its speed. If the plunger drops back a second time, the by-pass is opened immediately which is caused by the return movement of the rod 7' and the motor for a short period of time continues to revolve of its own momentum. In order to provide dampening means for the motion of the rod 1, the same is in engagement with a dash pot D. Inasmuch as the said rod 2 is not positively connected with the dash pot. the return movement of the rod to its original position is therefore instantaneous.

A. represents an electro-magi'ietic relay also conveniently located on the switchboard, the action of which is to energize one of the solenoids. This eleetro-nnignetic relay A is operated by the action of the moving coil relay B. The electro-magnetic relay A has its winding in four sections arranged diiierentially, and is permanently connected to the line circuit. The action of the moving coil relay B causes one section of the winding of the elcctro-magnetic relay it to become short circuited, and the electromagnetic relay A energized. The moving coil relay B is operated by an auxiliary circuit consisting of a single dry cell battery a, (two such batteries being used in the entire system) which in this particular instance is connected to a controller 0, the controller 0 being connected to the moving coil relay B from where the current returns through earth to the controller.

The switchboard illustrated in Figs. 4c and 5, heretofore referred to, is preferably located near the Searchlight, and has mounted on its rear side, the solenoid magnets C,

suitably mounted in the cast-iron frames B. 1

said frames being secured to the switchboard by bolts B passing through lugs B of The cast-iron frames B are spaced apart, and fastened together by two brass or other non-magnetic bars B and B. The upper bar B extends en irely across the face of the solenoids C, and is provided with apertures or openings for the passage of the upper ends of the plungers P and T". Each of thesolenoids C is provided with a brass bushing which passes through and ex.- tcnds a short distance beyond their ends, the

*upon by either of the plunggw seep/1o said brass bushings being secured under tile.

box caps l3. thereby retaining the solenoids in position in the :l ines- B. I

The solenoid cores or pbingt i and i are made up of two scctiinis. the upper consisting of brass and the lower of soft iron. The upper section of the plunger is providcd "with a slot in which is pivotally sccured a spring actuated trip pawl l. The upper ones of said spring actuated trip pawls are so arranged in the slotted end of the plun fnf as to strike and have sliding engagement with the crank pins 0. which are secured to and extend from the rock lever 0, which is rigidly secured to a shalt O which passes through the .iu'itchboard and which has secured at its forward end. the arms 0 of the. reversing switch iii-Ft. .The arms of the reversing switch are provided with contact: brushes 0" which contact with the split copper rings U secured to the front of the switchboard, in order to control the motor. The trip pawls .l are so po itioned. that the tail pieces tlnrrool' will contact with the cranl: pins when the latter are in the downward position, thus litil'llllfg the trip pan'ls out of the path of the cross bar i l. until the secondupward movement of the hlungcrs. The crossbar ii is lined to the upper end of the rod 21 and may be operated v trip pawls. The rod "1' has secured toils lovrcr rnd. the brush holder i5, and contact brush L. which has sliding contact with the plates FF and 1*), the latter being made up of sections 1'. and separated by mica or other insulating uniterial. 30th contact plates ll and E" are suitably mounted upon a bloch of hard rub her i parallel to each other and to the rod '1. The object of these crniiarts is to throw in varyiin r sistances to regulate the speed g -c of the motor.

That tbc'rod 1- and, brush I may not more up too fast, an air check is )ro\'i(hd. The rod 1" is provided with collars, between which the 'l ()l'l l:(l end of the lever l pa. ,1 and which is pivoted in the bracket F cured to the front of tl swilchl'ioard. ii ccured to the bracket is the air check bellows or dash pot 1D the plunger of which is pivoted to the forhed lever i and an air chock so arranged that the compression may b'c varied by a. suitable valve on the upstroke of the rod 1', but allows the rod to return instantly on its downward stroke. To cushion the blow, and to support the plungers, suitable felt-c \'ercd or cushioned brackets D are provided.

The controller 0 illustrated in Figs. (5, Y, S and 9, consists of a number of circuit closing contact points secured to suitable springs and brackets inclosed in a hard rubber box of such small dimensions as to enable it to be readily mounted upon-any portable support such a field glass 14 as illustrated in llO lla'i Figs. 8 ends, which is provided with a pair moving coil relay B. W hen the solenoid S ofbrackets 02 having ottset portions to which the controller is secured by any suitable means. The box is preferably made of hard rubber and consists of the base 7* and the cover 9. Secured to the base are the ditlen ent'braekets' h carrying the contact points 2' which are electrically connected as is common in crossover switches, as well as the slotted brackets is to which are pivotally secured the rock leversl. T he ends of the levers are bent downward and inward to form convenient supports tor theends or the contact springs m1 These springs are also pro vided with cont-act points a designed to con tact with the contact points i on the brackets /L which are secured to-the hard rubber base f, and are secured to the rock levers in any convenient manner, and in order that said springs may have upward play, they are spaced away from said rock lever by means of a small block 0.

Conveniently secured to the ander side 01' each one of the slotted brackets is, is a'oompression spring 2), so arranged that its free end will act upon a block 9 secured to the under side of the contactsprings m-, so as to normally maintain the rock levers Z carry- 'ing said contact springs m in a central position and keep the contact points a of the springs m from contacting'w-ith the contact points ion the bracket h. As will readily be seen from the drawings, the rock levers Z are connected together in pairs by means of the hard rubber push button. blocks .9 which are provided at their bottoms with depending ribs to separate the levers and on their tops with push buttons 5 designed to pass through suit-able apertures t in the top of the controller case g. Conveniently arranged upon said hard rubber base, are seven binding posts, two or them lettered u are to be connected to the two line wires leading to the control mechanism on the re versing switchboard placed at a distance. Une of the binding posts 0 is connected to the wire and grounded and four of the other binding posts to are connected to the battery which operates the controller.

The operation of the device is as follows: In case the motor M should be given revolution in the direction opposite to that for which the switch arm of the reversing switch RS is set, the arm must be in the opposite direction from that shown in the drawing, in which case. the solenoid S must first be energized, and for this purpose, the electromagnetic relay A must be so energized that its contact a m will move to the right. This takes place when the contact arm of the moving coil relayB has moved to the right,

causing the current to pass through the conof my lnvention Known to me, I do not detact armattached to the moving coil relay B, and this is accomplished by the operation of the controller 0, which is connected to the is so energized, the plunger P is drawn into the solenoid, causing the switch arm of the reversing switch ES to assume. its proper it, by reason of its engagement with the pawl, the sliding rod r. The motion of the plunger and sliding rod is dampened by the dash. pot- D and depends therefore upon the length of contact imparted to the controller 0. i The longerkthis contact is held, the farther will the plunger and rod move in an upward direction, carrying with it the con.- tact brush 5 which closes the by-pass to the resistance lit, thereby reducing the total resistance step "by step, and starting the motor and increasing its speed accordingly, After the controller c 'is. opened. again, the sliding rod 1 together with the contact brush 6 will return instantly to its first position, owing to the manner in whichsaid rod 1 is connected to the dash pot D. The bypass to the resistance It is theretoreopened, but the motor will continue to revolve by its own momentum and by reason era-1e small current passin through the resistance lit,

Should it be esire'd, to stop the motor, it

will only benecessary to close the auxiliary circuit through the reversing or controlling switch 0 in such a manner that the solenoid S becomes energized, which'will cause the arm of the reversing switch RS to be turned back in its original. position, thereby reversing the current through the motor and stopping the same, for the reason that the resistance R is too high to give to the motor sutlicient torque to start it up in the oppo site direction.

l/Vith my improved system, the heavy cables and controllers heretofore used, are

dispensed with, and a wire of sullicient capacity to carry an auxiliary current of not more than one hundredth ofan. ampere, and

controller ofsuch size as will admirably Y adapt itself to be mounted. upon an ordinary field or marine glass is substituted, and I am therefore enabled to vary the speed and direction of the motor or motors used in the system from an unlimited distance, as distinguished from the systems now in use in which the operative distance of control is limited to less than three miles.

Although I have described the best form sire to be limited to the particular construction and organization of parts illustrated,

except to the extent indicated in the appended claims, since in its broader aspect, the invention may take various forms.

l. claim:

'l. In a system olI remote control, a motor, a reversing switch for said motor including means for governing the direction or roiation and speed of said motor, a local circuit for euergizin said means, an clcctro-magnetic relay connected to said circuit for automatically controlling said circuit, a mov-- ing coil relay for controlling said .elrtrw magnetic relay, an auxiliary circuit lior op erating said relay and a controller for operating said relays, whereby the reversing switch and their means are actuated to vary the speed. and direction of said. motor.

In a tem of remote control, a motor or group of motors, reversing switches. for each ol? said motors or groups of motors, including means for governing the direction oi? rotation and speed of tttll motor or groups oil? motors, local circuits for cner ining said means, an cltartroonagiietic relay connected to said circuits for auiomatically controlling said circuits, :1 moving coil lay lior contiolling said electro-magnctic relay an auxiliar circuit for openting said relay, a controller, a portalxle support to.

which said controller is secured for operating said relays whereby the reversing switches and their means are actuated to vary the speed and direction oil' said motor or groups of motors.

3. In a system of remote control, a motor or group of motors, reversing switches for each of said motors or groups of motors, including means for governing the direction of rotation and speed of each motor or groups of motors, local circuits folenergizing said means, an electro-magnctie relay connected to said circuits :to automatically controlling said circuits, a moving coil relay for controlling said electro nnignetic relay an auxiliary circuit for ope 'ating said l'Qlland a controller for operating said relays, whereby the reversing switches and their means are actuated to vary the speed and direction oi said motor or groups of motors.

In a system of remote control, a motor, an electroanagnetically actuated switch for operating said motor, a local circuit for the actuating coil of said switch and motor, rclays for controlling said local circuit, a controller and an independent source of current for operating oneot said relays, whereby the switch is actuated to vary the speed and direction of said motor.

5. a system of remote control, a' motor. electrically controlled mechanism for operating said motor, a local circuit for energiw i'ng said means and motor, relays, an auxiliary circuit tor operating said relays, a

controller, a portacle support upon which and adapted to mutrollcr, a portable support upon hich said controller is mounted and an tlllfyll' ry circuitconnected with said controller to vary the speed and direction oi said motor.

fa. in a system ot remote control, motor, electrically controlled means for operating said motor, local circuits for energizing said means, a controller a pm'tahle supportupon. which said controller mounted and an auxiliary circuit coimccted with said controller to vary tl c speed and direction of said motor.

9. in a system of remote motor control, a permanently connected controller, a portable support upon which said controller is mount ed and an auxiliary circuit connected with said controller to yary the speed and dircc tion of a motor or group of motors. 10. In a system of remote control, a motor,

a reversing switch for said motor including means for governing the direction and speed of said motor, a local circuit for energizing said means and motor, relays for controlling said local circuit. an auxiliary circuit tor operating said relays and a coi'itroller connected with said auxilia'rv circuit to "vary the speed and direction 01 said motor.

11. in a systen'i of remote control, amotor, a reversing switch for said motor including means for governing the direction and speed of said motor, a local circuit for energizing said means and motor, relays tor controlling said local circuit operated by an auxiliary circuitand a controller, a portable support upon which said controller is mounted and connected with said auxiliary circuit to vary the speed and direction of said motor.

12. In a system of remote motor control, a moving coil relay, a controller a portable support upon which said controller is mounted, and an auxiliary circuit connecting said controller and relay to vary the speed and. direction of a motor or group of motors.

This specification signed and witnessed this 25th day of January 1909 i fitnessesz l iuinn. C. FISCHER, C. A. Arnie-iron. 

